Sandman Mystery Theatre Vol 1 1
Supporting Characters: * * Adversaries: * * Albert Goldman (a gangster) * Lenny Green (a gangster) * Moses Berman (a gangster) Other Characters: * * * * * * * Catherine van der Meer (a socialite) * Celia Goldman (Albert Goldman's daughter) * Charlie Malloy (a cab driver) * Miriam Goldman (Albert Goldman's wife) * Pascal (a police officer) * Roger Goldman (Albert Goldman's son) * (a police detective) * Solly (a dishwasher) * Judge Thomas Schaffer Locations: * :* :* Items: * Vehicles: * | Notes = * Sandman Mystery Theatre is an ongoing series published under DC Comics' Vertigo imprint. Each issue is marked with a "Suggested for Mature Readers" warning. * The character of the Sandman was created by Gardner Fox and Creig Flessel. By 1942, Joe Simon and Jack Kirby pulled the Sandman away from his pulp-noir roots, providing him with a colorful, purple and yellow super-hero costume, and a boy sidekick named Sandy. * This issue is reprinted in Sandman Mystery Theatre: The Tarantula (trade paperback). * This is the earliest chronological appearance of Wesley Dodds - the Sandman. This storyline takes place in the year 1938 and partially revamps the Sandman story chronicled in Adventure Comics #40. The two tales should be considered as separate stories however, as the Tarantula that appears in Adventure Comics #40 makes return appearances in the pages of the All-Star Squadron, while the Tarantula from Sandman Mystery Theatre makes his final appearance in issue #4. * The Tarantula from this story should also not be confused with Jonathan Law, the crime-fighting member of the All-Star Squadron, or the above mentioned Golden Age villain, Crossart. * This storyline presents the first meeting between Wesley Dodds and Dian Belmont. Wes and Dian will become lifelong companions, sharing many adventures together. In time, Dian will come to learn that Wes is also the Sandman. * This issue establishes that Wesley Dodds has only recently returned to New York City after spending a great deal of time in the Orient. * Although they both share the same alias, Wesley Dodds has almost no connection to Dream of the Endless. However, Dream is responsible for Wesley's penchant for prophetic dreaming, as revealed in ''Sandman: Midnight Theater'' #1. * Earliest chronological appearance of Dian Belmont. * Earliest chronological appearance of Larry Belmont. * Charlie Malloy is the taxi-cab driver that drives Dian and Catherine home. He is not referenced by name until issue #2. * Ross O'Donald is a police detective. He is referenced only as O'Donald in this issue. His first name is not provided until issue #2. * Moses Berman is referenced only as Mister Berman in this issue. His first name is not provided until issue #3. | Trivia = * Although Wesley Dodds is an American, he demonstrates certain European grammatical traits in the prose that he writes; example: he writes the word honour instead of honor. * Several real-world personalities make guest appearances in this issue. :*Bert Lahr was an American actor, most famous for portraying the role of the Cowardly Lion in MGM's The Wizard of Oz. :*Bugsy Siegel and Meyer Lansky were both famous underworld gangsters whose careers have been documented in both books and film. :*Joe DiMaggio was an all-star baseball player for the New York Yankees. :*Tallulah Bankhead was an actress from the 1930s who nearly won the role of Scarlett O'Hara in Gone With the Wind. She also played Black Widow in the Batman 1966 TV Series. :*William Powell was an American actor who gained notoriety for playing the role of Nick Charles in The Thin Man series of films. | Recommended = * Adventure Comics * All-Star Comics * All-Star Squadron * Sandman Mystery Theatre * The Shadow Strikes | Links = * Sandman Mystery Theatre series index at the Grand Comics Database * Sandman Mystery Theatre series index at the Unofficial Guide to the DC Universe * Sandman article at Wikipedia * Sandman biography page * Sandman article at Toonopedia * Sandman biography page at the Unofficial Guide to the DC Universe * Sandman article by Jason Sacks }}